Folding ladders commonly known as “stepladders” are well known in the art. These devices consist of a ladder having two side rails, a plurality of rungs or steps, and a opposing support member which is hinged to the ladder so that a stable inverted V shape structure may be achieved. A hinged spreader connects the ladder and the support member, and limits the spread of the ladder and support member. The top of the ladder has a head step. Near the top, many stepladders also have a pail rest upon which various articles such as tools and containers may be placed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,955 shows a folding portable multiple-purpose work unit is interchangeably useable in three main work modes: as a stepladder, as a step stool, and as a small workbench having a vise. The substructure of the unit includes front and rear leg frames, the front frame having two steps, and is foldable to allow ready storage of the unit. The vise unit forms the top of the substructure. A seat member covers the vise unit when the work unit is in the step stool and stepladder modes and pivots to uncover the vise unit in the workbench mode. When so pivoted off the vise unit, the seat member forms a tool tray which also blocks use of the work unit as a stool or ladder while the seat is not in place. The work unit also includes a handrail which is movable between a raised position in the stepladder mode, where it affords support to a user standing on the steps or seat of the unit, and a lowered position in the workbench or step stool mode, where it is out of the user's way and also facilitates storage of the unit. The substructure of the work unit is latched in the erect position by a pair of hooks carried by a latching rod, the hooks engaging with abutment surfaces on abutment blocks connected to the upper ends of the legs of the substructure. The latching rod carries a release member in its central region which, when the seat is in position, can be rotated and lifted to cause release of the latching mechanism and automatic folding of the substructure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,063 illustrates a step ladder work bench apparatus for significantly increasing the top shelf area on step ladders. Apparatus is hingedly attached to said step ladder allowing apparatus to be raised and hooked in place for use and lowered against step ladder rails for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,507 discloses a platform stool which includes a frame having a front leg and a rear leg. The front leg is pivotably coupled to the rear leg for movement about a leg pivot axis between an opened position and a closed position. The platform stool includes a multi-part platform including a front section pivotably coupled to the front leg and a rear section pivotably coupled to the rear leg, each of the front and rear sections having a top surface. A platform support linkage couples the front section to the rear section for movement about a platform pivot axis between a platform-forming position wherein the top surface of the front section and the top surface of the rear section are aligned in substantially coplanar relation to form a platform and a platform-collapsing position wherein the top surface of the front section faces away from the rear leg and the top surface of the rear section faces away from the front leg. The front and rear legs cooperate with the multi-part platform so that the front and rear legs are in the opened position when the front and rear sections are in the platform-forming position and the front and rear legs are in the closed position when the front and rear sections are in the platform-collapsing position. The stool has feet attached to each leg to provide stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,380 consists of a ladder accessory in the form of a toolbox. The toolbox is coupled to support brackets mounted on each front leg of a conventional ladder. The toolbox includes a handle that allows for securing to the brackets when the cover is opened by forcing pinions located in the bottom of the box through pinion apertures located on each support bracket. The support bracket allows lifting of the toolbox so as to provide a safe working area for a worker on top of the ladder allowing ease of access to the necessary tools in order to accomplish a particular task. Bracket release levers are provided on each support bracket to allow lifting of the toolbox in a convenient manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,699 describes a ladder tray attachment for mounting to a head step of a stepladder for resting objects thereon. The ladder tray attachment includes a tray and a mounting frame for mounting the tray to a head step of a stepladder. The mounting frame comprises a spaced apart pair of generally inverted L-shaped mounting members each has elongate top and bottom portions. The bottom portions of the mounting members are coupled to the tray such that the top portions of the mounting members outwardly extend from the tray. The mounting members each also have an elongate hooking portion downwardly depending from the top portion of the respective mounting member. The hooking portions of the mounting members each have spaced apart upper and lower hooks outwardly extending therefrom in a direction towards the bottom portions of the respective mounting member.